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The World's Thinnest, Strongest, and Smallest Heat Shrink Tubing Custom and Stock Medical Balloons Serving the Medical Device Industry since 1989 ISO 9001:2000 Registered
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Medical Balloons
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Applications
Dilatation
Drug Delivery
Endovascular Graft
Heat Transfer Catheters
Light Therapy / Photodynamic Therapy
Angioplasty Balloons
Multifunctional Balloons
Multilumen Balloons
Positioning
Stent Delivery
PTCA Catheters
PTA Catheters

Medical Balloons - Applications - Stent Delivery

Stent Delivery This photograph illustrates an example of an arterial stent in its expanded state. The wire mesh creates a scaffold to maintain a fluid pathway to maximize the blood flow past an arterial blockage.

Photo courtesy of IntraTherapeutics
High-pressure balloons are commonly used to deploy and post-dilate stents to reduce the rate of arterial restenosis and acute reclosure following angioplasty. Stents are metallic scaffolds implanted to support the walls of arteries and other body cavities. Balloon expandable stents, which are typically machined metal tubes or wire mesh, are crimped over a balloon and inserted into the area of a blockage after angioplasty. Inflating the balloon opens the stent, which remains expanded to keep the vessel open. The use of high-pressure balloons allows the physician to fully expand the stent until it is in full contact with the arterial wall. The use of a low compliance balloon allows the added confidence that the stent and the artery will not be over-expanded as well as the balloon will not dog-bone and over-expand the artery on either end of the stent. The stent stays in position after the balloon is deflated and removed from the body. Stents are being used with increasing frequency in association with angioplasty procedures. This is one of the largest markets for high-pressure balloons today.
Stent Delivery This photograph shows the stent as it is ready to be inserted into an artery. The stent is at its minimum diameter and crimped over a balloon. The balloon will be inflated once the physician positions the device in the desired section of the artery. The expanded stent will then remain in place permanently.

Photo courtesy of IntraTherapeutics
Stent Delivery This photograph shows the stent expanded by the balloon. The balloon is used to press the stent scaffold against and partially into the arterial wall. This insures the artery will be fully patent and provide the optimum blood flow.

Photo courtesy of IntraTherapeutics
PUNCTURE RESISTANT BALLOONS FOR STENT DELIVERY AND STENT RETENTION

Advanced Polymers has developed puncture resistant, high-pressure angioplasty balloons to increase safety for high pressure angioplasty and stent delivery procedures. This medical break-through is made possible with the use of a patented coating co-developed and exclusively licensed by Advanced Polymers.

This patented coating virtually eliminates the chance of an angioplasty balloon being punctured or damaged during stent delivery and/or post-stent dilatation. Also, it increases the coefficient of friction between the stent and the balloon surface and provides excellent stent retention, eliminating movement or slippage during delivery and deployment. This is a critical issue for high pressure balloon stenting procedures, as many previously unsaid concerns about stent slippage are coming to the forefront.

The coating, which can be produced from a variety of polymers depending on the application (polyurethane is typical and acrylic are typical), is applied to a balloon after a proprietary surface treatment by dipping it into a liquid form of the chosen polymer, followed by oven drying. The drying process also allows for cross- – linking of the coating to occur, which helps to strengthen the coating and provide more durability, better bond adhesion and increased resistance to solvents and other chemicals.

Advanced Polymers has the capability to produce high pressure angioplasty balloons in a variety of sizes, configurations, lengths and burst pressures (up to 27 atm/400 psi). Wall thicknesses typically range from 5 – 50 microns (0.0002" – 0.002"), offering minimal invasiveness and the smallest possible profile. Some of API’s custom capabilities and configurations include unlimited tapered angles, varying diameters and tapered diameters along the length of the balloon. The company recently expanded the available diameters of its balloons as well, with offerings from 0.5mm to 50mm and an increased number of standard sizes between 2 – 12 mm. API also has patents and patents pending for many unique balloon and catheter designs which are available for license.